1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to and combines the fields of generation of electricity by force of wind, automobile aerodynamics parts/accessories, and automobile electrical generation parts. This invention creates a new field of automobile aerodynamics electrical generation parts utilizing the power of wind or air rushing over and around the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art Including
The use of wind power to generate electricity has heretofore been relegated to stationary windmills of the horizontal axis (propeller) or vertical axis (Darrieus "eggbeater" rotor, and Savonius "S" rotor) types, the former being the most efficient. While vertical axis Magnus Effect rotors have been used to propel "sail" boats, the generation of electricity by force of wind on a moving vehicle has not been feasible prior to this invention.
As fossil fuel prices are rising and many states are mandating the production and sale of zero-emissions vehicles, many automobile manufactures are experimenting with electric vehicles and the inexpensive recharging of the batteries of said vehicles to extend their currently limited ranges. Most advances have been made in the field of photovoltaic (solar) cells. General Motors uses generators to help slow its "Impact" electric concept car when the driver removes his foot from the accelerator.
But the abundance of "wind" energy flowing over a moving vehicle has remained unharnessed. This is due to the fact that, prior to this invention, the drag created by wind-capturing devices has been greater than the electricity generated, resulting in a negative, rather than a positive, electrical flow. Most, if not all, such unsuccessful attempts have been made using propeller-type rotors, which rotate at right angles to the air flow.
The devices most commonly used to reduced a vehicles' drag coefficient, i.e., air dams/scoops and rear spoilers, have not been capable of harnessing wind energy.
The closest prior art to the present invention consists of the vertical-axis Savonius rotor windmill and the wide variety of vehicle air dams and spoilers. These concepts are altered and combined in the present invention.